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Rainer Sabin | rsabin@al.com
Alabama backup quarterback Jalen Hurts has made progress as a passer. His coach, Nick Saban, says so. And so do the numbers.
Maybe it was instinct. Perhaps it was a fit of audacity. But there was something different about Jalen Hurts when he stared down a charging pass rusher deep in Arkansas State's red zone earlier this month.
Instead of trying to spin out of the grasp of the oncoming defender and escape the pocket or tuck the ball and absorb a sack, the junior quarterback unleashed a pass. Moments later, the ball arrived in the outstretched hands of Jerry Jeudy as the Alabama receiver zipped across the face of the end zone to score the Tide's fifth touchdown in a 50-point rout.
Seconds later, Tua Tagovailoa -- the precocious sophomore who took Hurts' job this summer in part because he showed more capability to make plays like this one -- joined his teammate to celebrate.
While Tagovailoa has captured the fascination of fans enamored with his precise throws, Hurts has quietly demonstrated progress as a passer.
In limited action this season, his completion percentage, yards-per-attempt average and efficiency rating have increased significantly.
His performance delivering intermediate and deep passes has also improved as he's connected on 60 percent of his attempts traveling 10 or more yards in the air after hitting on just 48 percent of those throws in 2017.
At the same time, the bad habits he had fallen into during his 26-2 run as a starter have subsided. While he's scrambled at virtually the same rate he did last season, he's thrown the ball away only once in 28 attempts after doing so on 18 of the 255 passes he launched in 2017, according to ProFootballFocus.com
The numbers highlight the maturation of a player more committed to surveying the field and trusting his choices instead of always playing it safe.
"I think Jalen has certainly improved in the pocket," Alabama coach Nick Saban said. "There's no doubt about that. There's never been any question about his arm talent. It's always been making decisions, choices, second reads, that type of things, which I think he's really made a lot of improvement on. And I think when he's done those things, he's had really good success. And I think consistency in continuing to do those things is the key to him in the future."
Saban once rued Hurts' tendency to lose patience with his progressions. While impressed with Hurts' athleticism and dual-threat persona, Saban wanted Hurts to exhibit more discipline as a passer.
"I think sometimes guys that have success running as quarterback, it's a little more difficult for them to get the mindset that they want to be a complete player because they know they have the ability to take off running all the time, because that's when they have success and that's when they get a lot of positive self-gratification from," Saban said back in 2016.
Yet this season Hurts -- who has completed 68 percent of his 28 attempts for 248 yards, four touchdowns and an interception -- has scrambled on only three of the 25 dropbacks when he hasn't faced any pressure, which indicates he is making an effort to deliver the ball to his teammates tracing routes.
"I think he's been doing a really good job there," said left tackle Jonah Williams.
The results offer proof, illustrating the subtle growth of a player who continues to invite intrigue even in a backup role.
"We've always had confidence in him," running back Damien Harris said. "I know he's always had confidence in himself. I think he's just improved as a player."
How Alabama's Jalen Hurts has improved as a passer
Maybe it was instinct. Perhaps it was a fit of audacity. But there was something different about Jalen Hurts when he stared down a charging pass rusher deep in Arkansas State's red zone earlier this month.
Instead of trying to spin out of the grasp of the oncoming defender and escape the pocket or tuck the ball and absorb a sack, the junior quarterback unleashed a pass. Moments later, the ball arrived in the outstretched hands of Jerry Jeudy as the Alabama receiver zipped across the face of the end zone to score the Tide's fifth touchdown in a 50-point rout.
Seconds later, Tua Tagovailoa -- the precocious sophomore who took Hurts' job this summer in part because he showed more capability to make plays like this one -- joined his teammate to celebrate.
While Tagovailoa has captured the fascination of fans enamored with his precise throws, Hurts has quietly demonstrated progress as a passer.
In limited action this season, his completion percentage, yards-per-attempt average and efficiency rating have increased significantly.
His performance delivering intermediate and deep passes has also improved as he's connected on 60 percent of his attempts traveling 10 or more yards in the air after hitting on just 48 percent of those throws in 2017.
At the same time, the bad habits he had fallen into during his 26-2 run as a starter have subsided. While he's scrambled at virtually the same rate he did last season, he's thrown the ball away only once in 28 attempts after doing so on 18 of the 255 passes he launched in 2017, according to ProFootballFocus.com
The numbers highlight the maturation of a player more committed to surveying the field and trusting his choices instead of always playing it safe.
"I think Jalen has certainly improved in the pocket," Alabama coach Nick Saban said. "There's no doubt about that. There's never been any question about his arm talent. It's always been making decisions, choices, second reads, that type of things, which I think he's really made a lot of improvement on. And I think when he's done those things, he's had really good success. And I think consistency in continuing to do those things is the key to him in the future."
Saban once rued Hurts' tendency to lose patience with his progressions. While impressed with Hurts' athleticism and dual-threat persona, Saban wanted Hurts to exhibit more discipline as a passer.
"I think sometimes guys that have success running as quarterback, it's a little more difficult for them to get the mindset that they want to be a complete player because they know they have the ability to take off running all the time, because that's when they have success and that's when they get a lot of positive self-gratification from," Saban said back in 2016.
Yet this season Hurts -- who has completed 68 percent of his 28 attempts for 248 yards, four touchdowns and an interception -- has scrambled on only three of the 25 dropbacks when he hasn't faced any pressure, which indicates he is making an effort to deliver the ball to his teammates tracing routes.
"I think he's been doing a really good job there," said left tackle Jonah Williams.
The results offer proof, illustrating the subtle growth of a player who continues to invite intrigue even in a backup role.
"We've always had confidence in him," running back Damien Harris said. "I know he's always had confidence in himself. I think he's just improved as a player."
How Alabama's Jalen Hurts has improved as a passer
